Merrick Garland fires back at Matt Gaetz over his attempts to question him on Trump trial

Attorney General Merrick Garland sparred with Florida congressman Matt Gaetz at a contentious hearing of the GOP-controlled House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday which quickly turned to the recent conviction of Donald Trump.

The hearing, called by GOP members, was to “examine how the [Department of Justice] has become politicized and weaponized” under Garland’s leadership. In reality, it was largely an opportunity for Republicans to vent their frustrations at Garland, while displaying their own loyalties to Trump.

But the panel seemed largely focused on last week’s events in New York. Trump was found guilty verdict on 34 felony counts of falsifying business record to cover up payments to porn star Stormy Daniels to hush up her story of an affair in the run-up to the 2016 election. The case was brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is not an employee of the Justice Department as he is a locally elected official.

Gaetz, who attended Trump’s trial along with other rightwing Republicans, pressed Garland to comment on whether it was acceptable for a judge to have a family member benefit financially from media attention surrounding a criminal trial.

Though he did not name hush money trial judge Juan Merchan by name, Gaetz’s question clearly referred to allegations that the judge’s daughter works for a digital firm aligned with Democrats.

Garland responded only to say it was “very clear” that Gaetz was asking him to comment on a case in another juridiction which the US attorney general declined to do.

Garland’s response prompted a “tirade” from Gaetz, as ranking Democratic member Jerry Nadler later characterized it.

“I’m saddened by it because, like you, I’ve given my life to the law!” Gaetz yelled at